Anna Wallace

When I first started at Aston I thought I would work at the European Parliament or Commission – the perfect blend of my language and politics. But after taking an internship there one Easter, I quickly changed my mind. Towards the end of my course and with thanks to the careers service at Aston, I started to consider wider career options including the Civil Service Fast stream, PR and public affairs.

Since graduation I have been working in public affairs, which means I seek to influence government policy and legislation. I am currently the Public Affairs Manager for the HR professional body, the CIPD. I love my job because I get to work with politicians and civil servants without actually doing their job! I couldn’t work in public affairs without the knowledge of the UK parliamentary system I learnt at Aston. However, the communication skills I developed in my language classes have also been invaluable e.g. giving presentations, working with different audiences and writing reports. Even though I wasn’t part of the business school, its presence inevitably influences your education at Aston. There is a strong business culture at Aston which puts all of its graduates – business and otherwise – at a distinct advantage in the world of work.'